​Let us take an example in Surat Saad. Surah 38

One can understand from the beginning of the Surah that hostility from the Arab pagans had increased against the Prophet (ﷺ). After mentioning the direct attacks on him and the message, Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) consoles him and tells him to be patient over all these verbal attacks

Be patient over what they say and remember Our servant, David, the possessor of strength; indeed, he was one who repeatedly turned back [to Allah ]. Surat Saad 38:17

In the very same ayah, Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) tells RasoolAllah (ﷺ) to reflect on the story of Dawud (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). So one would expect a story of great patience and guidance for the Prophet and by extension for us from one of Allah's best creations. Is this what is found according to the well-known interpretations of the story?

The answer unfortunately is No! we are told that Nabi Dawud (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)became very frightened from a security breach and made a judgement that was incorrect before hearing from both disputants. As the common story goes, he repented from this mistake and Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgave him.  The common lesson that is given is to listen to two sides of the story before making a judgment. 

This story however is not found in the Quran. Details were added to it that distorted the story in a way to present Nabi Dawud (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) as having a lack of patience.  Some Modern scholars have noticed this and have understood that one needs to return back to the actual Quranic text, as the Quran is a self-clarifying book with no need of outside sources. 

In the very same section of the Quran Nabi Dawud has been described as having

​Wisdom and decisive/ eloquent speech.

And one needs to ask, If the story of him being too afraid to think straight and thus hindering him from making the proper judgement, then why did Allah Most high mention it here?  It would be out of place. Wouldn't we expect a situation in his life to show his wisdom on show? 

The actual Quranic account devoid of these extraneous sources is presented here by Ustadh Nabeel Alkhalidy

​​So in these extraneous accounts, we have oppression to animal life and oppression to ones wife mentioned from the best of creations. We also have heedlessness and extreme anger attributed to them.

One will realize after a deep study and reflection that these false accusations made against the Prophets of Allah  have absolutely no basis and one needs to free themselves from such stories to reach the true accounts and only then one can understand the lessons and follow them.

And Allah knows best.

​By Nabeel Alkhalidy

​​The Quran give us perfect and timeless guidance that if implemented will solve our health problems as a whole. The sad part about this is very few Muslims today follow this guidance.

The Guidance is related to 3 aspects about our diet: 

1. What to eat, 
2. How to eat 
3. Where to go to eat.

​

What to eat?

Allah SWT says in Surat Al Baqarah

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا

O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth: lawful ( Halal) and good ( Tayyib)

The food that we are told to eat has 2 qualities:
​

1. Halal ( lawful/permissible)
2. Tayyib  (good/ wholesome food)

In other words it is Halal food that is grown how Allah wants it to be grown and consumed the way Allah wants us to consume it.

For example if we look at most supermarket products, much of it is halal per se but the extra additives, flavours, colours etc  will turn the food from something that is Tayyib to that which is khabeeth - foul/disease causing.

How to eat ?

Allah SWT says in Surat Al A'raaf

كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ

eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.

We are told to eat and drink but not commit israaf (excessiveness). In other words not to over eat and over drink. It’s a very simple instruction but how many of us are actually doing this??? Our protruding bellies are a clear sign we are not following this command.  Over-eating will no doubt make one sick in the long run therefore limiting what one eats will go a long way in eliminating food related diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, obesity etc.

Where to go to eat ?

Allah SWT says in Surat Al A'raaf

فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَا أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًا فَلْيَأْتِكُم بِرِزْقٍ مِّنْهُ

Let him look to which is the purist of food and bring you provision from it

This was what the Youth of the Cave advised their comrade after waking up from their sleep. The verb used li yanthur is a command to investigate. If we want to search and investigate for the purist of foods we need to get educated and spend our time and efforts to find out where to get it from.
​
Fruits and vegetable that have been stored for 6 months in incubators and ripened prior to being sold is not the purist of foods.  Food that is filled with growth hormones or pesticides is not the purist of foods. Paying a bit extra can go a long way into making our food purer and beneficial rather than disease causing.

Question

Q. Is paying more to get an organic option considered Israaf ( excessiveness)? 

A. Excessiveness does not exist when trying to purchase pure and wholesome food, which is actually a command. We need to take the means to good health and rely on Allah. If we are feeding our bodies poison we would contradict the commands of the Quran to eat food that is Tayyib. Our bodies are an amaana ( trust) and we need to treat it as such.

 Wa Allahu A’lam

Nabeel Alkhalidy

​Following the first promise mentioned in Part 1, Bani Israeel never actually regained complete rule over the Holy land as an independent state, as they do today. Following the Exodus, when they were saved from Firoun, Allah Most High, ordered them to fight the enemies controlling the Holy land at the time to reclaim it. They refused the order of their Prophet and leader, Musa ( peace be upon him) and as a punishment were made to roam through the land as nomads for 40 years. Throughout history their offspring did enter the Holy land and settled there, but did not rule over it with unrestricted authority, as they do today.

Bani Israeel were scattered in small communities throughout the world. Also, History indicates that were a greatly persecuted nation. There are so many instances throughout history of mass genocide of the Israelites, especially at the hands of Christians, with the last recorded affliction to befall them being the holocaust in Germany in WWII.

This was prophesied in the Quran in no uncertain terms.   

Allah Most High says:

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَن يَسُومُهُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

وَقَطَّعْنَاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُمَمًا مِّنْهُمُ الصَّالِحُونَ وَمِنْهُمْ دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَبَلَوْنَاهُم بِالْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

It is interesting to note that the good times mentioned in he ayah predominantly corresponded to the Jews living under Muslim rule during the Golden ages of Islam. 

As always, the Quran never places all jews in the same category: Of them some were righteous, and of them some were otherwise.

​Allah (SWT) says:

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا

Then we gave you once again your turn against them. And We reinforced you with wealth and sons and made you more numerous in manpower [Surat Al-Isra 17:6]

notice the conjunction ثُمَّ which denotes a lapse in time from the first destruction of Jerusalem. How much time this denotes can only really be understood with the passing of time and seeing how events have unfolded.

History indicates that the Jews never regained complete and dominating power of the Holy land, not up until 1948. The people they defeated to get power from them were the Muslims whose ancestors ( Egyptian, Assyrians and Babylonians) were the very same nations who destroyed Jerusalem the first time, hence the statement "Then We gave back to you a return victory over them"

For a state to be powerful, it requires 2 main resources: wealth and manpower. These are used to develop buildings and infrastructure as well as to have a trained army capable of attacking and defending itself.

"..And We reinforced you with wealth"

The resource of wealth is evident ever since the establishment of the modern Jewish State. Zionist Jews control a sizeable portion of the world banking system in the world today. Israel is probably the largest recipient of financial and technical aid from the West. Along with this they have stolen most of Palestine's land and resources.

"and sons"

Human resources are also required. Notice the ayah refers to بَنِينَ i.e. sons or men of youthful age, which is needed for the building of a state and strong military. That is not to say women will not be part of such an army, but their contribution will not to significant level as the men. Hence the word "Baneen" emphasises the importance of young men.

"and made you more numerous in manpower"

The word for Manpower in the ayah is نَفِيرًا which denotes an army that is sent to attack an opposing army. So this would indicate the great military might of the new Zionist state. 

This Ayah speaks about a generation from Bani Israeel to come after who will inherit the scripture. Yet, all they would be interested in would be the lowly matters ( related to desires and worldly benefit) and  knowing full well of their sins saying: 
​
سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا 
 "It will be forgiven for us." (us- as the chosen people).

The next part is interesting:

​وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهُ يَأْخُذُوهُ
​And if an offer like it comes to them, they will take it.

This is a conditional sentence which indicates when an offer is made that they will accept it. However, the acceptance of this goes completely against  the scriptures. On top of this they attribute the lie ( of its legitimacy ) to Allah Most High. 

​Acceptance and legitimization of that which was forbidden was one of the main reasons for Allah Most High sending Isa (peace be upon him).  Their Rabbis had permitted Usury and other evils and their people followed them contravening the commands of Allah and making their Rabbis as their Lords. 

Another lie that was spread was that the Holy land was jewish land and they had a God given right to it. Zionism as a movement started in the late 1800's and began to take hold until the offer and of the British to establish a jewish zionist state in Palestine. Once again, those who legitimized it went against the teachings of their scripture and lied against Allah!

The Zionist state of Israel as many orthodox Jews believe is an illegitimate state and goes against their own scripture.  This is a short presentation by a jewish Rabbi speak about the truth regarding Zionism.

​Allah Most High says

Isreal has spent billions of dollars trying to portray itself as a democracy that is simply defending themselves from the aggression of the Muslims. Zionist own a large amount of media stations and outlets and are spreading their propaganda night and day. This can only go so far and they are losing supporters and sympathizers day by day. There will be a time soon when their evil will be made evident to the world.

لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ

to uncover the evil of your faces
​
Before re-entering the Masjid the ayah mentions the first step in the liberation of Masjid Al Aqsa and the Holy land which is a political step that involves exposing the evil of Banu Israeel (and their supporters from within the Muslim Ummah - the Qaruns of the Ummah). This would likely result in countries cutting ties with them, embargoes and/or stopping financial and military support for them. This would bring about an economic and military stagnation.  

The ayah continues

 وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ

and they will enter the masjid , as they had entered the first time.
 
Here there is emphasis on Masjid Al-Aqsa as opposed to the first promise which was an utter destruction of the Holy land by non-believing armies. The ayah speaks about the Muslims being able to enter the masjid as they were previously able to do so. This would indicate a period of time of the Muslims being barred from entering the Masjid (and likely expelled). 

When was the first time?

It is unclear but history mentions numerous times in History when Muslims entered the Masjid. The first time occurred during the reign of khilafa Umar ibn Al khataab rA.   The Muslims through history did lose the holy land but this was only temporarily and not at the hands of the Children of Israel, but rather the Christians. For the majority of the Islamic Khalifat the Muslims had full control over the holy land. 

A point to note is the ayah speaks about re-entering the masjid. We know the "slaves" sent in the first promise utterly destroyed the temple. Entering on the other hand denotes a sense of achievement and honouring from Allah most High. 

There is another opinion which indicates that the same people/generation to be expelled will also return as liberators. This could indicate that the destruction of Israel could take place very soon and begin with the expulsion of the Palestinians from the Holy land.

​Wa Allahu A'lam

To be continued

One of greatest calamities to have faced the Ummah for over half a century has been the establishment of the state of Israel. A number of Modern day scholars are of the opinion that the beginning ayaat of Surat Al Isra speak of Israel and its destruction. This is based on a number of details mentioned in the Quran that if we look at history, can only be attributed to the modern state of Israel. As a starting point one needs to understand that classical scholars and commentators were missing a vital tool when interpreting ayaat referring to events, specifically those events that have yet to occur.

Allah Most High says:

سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ ۗ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ

We will soon show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness? [Surat Fussilat 41:53]

It would be no surprise to understand that the political environment at the time did influence Quranic interpretation of ayaat speaking of future events. The scholars of the past did their utmost to arrive at the correct meanings and understandings of certain ayaat but in some instances interpreted them out of context because there was no other way to understand them. Telling a classical exegete that someday a small jewish state would emerge and become a superpower and oppressive state in the Holy land while Muslims were helpless to do a thing would be like telling someone today that a time will come when the US, Russia and China would stop manufacturing armaments and work for world peace and equality for all!

The main theme of Surat Al-Isra ( Surat Bani Israel)

The Surah we will be examining is Surat Al Isra, a Surah which begins by mentioning and describing The Prophet's night journey to masjid Al Aqsa as well as the great corruption caused by the Children of Israel in the Holy land, The central focus of the Surah is the importance of making Allah alone the disposer of all our affairs by following his guidance in the Quran. There is no Surah which speaks about the Quran and Al-Insaan ( refined human) more than Surat Al Isra.  Through following the divine guidance and turning to Allah we gain our humanity and when we neglect this we have the potential to reach the lowest of the low as the Children of Israel in our time. 

The final promise ( وَعْدُ الْآخِرَة) – In this world or the next ?

The term وَعْدُ الْآخِرَة "The final promise" occurs only twice in the Quran and both instances are appropriately mentioned in Surat Al-Isra; once in the beginning and once in the end of the Surah. Based on the context, this term is used for an event that will take place in the future and that will occur in the Holy Land at Masjid Al Aqsa and the blessed land surrounding it.  

The Quran speaks of the first promise and the final promise

One will notice that the verbs used in the ayah for the first promise are all past tense verbs

بَعَثْنَا      We sent
فَجَاسُوا  They passed into
وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولًا  It was a promise that came to pass
 
while the verbs used in the final promise are present tense verbs

لِيَسُوءُو     That they will uncover the evil of your faces
لِيَدْخُلُو '     That they will enter
لِيُتَبِّرُو       That they will utterly destroy

A number of Scholars of the past understood that the ayaat related to the final promise were speaking of the future but interpreted them as ayaat speaking of the hereafter. Some understood that it was in this life, but that it had already occurred. Some consider that it refers to the opening of Jerusalem by the Caliph Umar Ibn Al khataab RA although this interpretation is quite problematic as the Children of Israel did not have control over Jerusalem at the time and were not causing widespread corruption throughout the land ( as described in the Quran). 
 
The 2 major acts of corruption

The Quran says:

وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا

And We conveyed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture that you will surely cause corruption on the earth twice, and you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness. [Surat Al Isra 17:4]

A few things to note about his ayah.

1. The corruption stated here is not corruption on an individual or group scale which occurs all the time. Since the word "twice" was used, it is speaking about the corruption of the Children of Israel as a nation.

2. The corruption occurs in Al A'rd i.e. the land. It's not corruption specific to a particular area. Some commentators have stated that "The land" is the "Holy land" but Allah SWT does not qualify which land it is. What is understood from the actual wording is that the corruption will be throughout the land, and would be significant enough to warrant a punishment from Allah (SWT).

3. The ayah indicates that the influence and power made the Children of Israel reach a great level of haughtiness. In  fact the Quran used 4 levels of emphasis to capture their internal state:

وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا
you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness. [Surat Al Isra 17:4]

These 4 levels of emphasis are:
​
1. Lam of emphasis
2. Noon of emphasis
3. Maf'oolun Mutlaq ( Absolute Object)
4. Describing it with the word Kabeer ( Great).

Even Firoun's haughtiness was not described to the same extent.

The Quran says regarding Firoun

وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ

And indeed, Firoun was haughty within the land, and indeed, he was of the transgressors [Surat Yunus 10:83]

Note: Although double emphasis is used in the ayah, the emphasis is on "Firoun being haughty in the land" as opposed to the ayah speaking about the Children of Israel which doesn't emphasise the fact that they will become haughty but rather it emphasises ( 4 times) the great degree of haughtiness they will reach.

The first promise

Allah says:

إِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَّنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ ۚ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولًا

"When the first of the promises came to pass, We sent against you Our servants given to terrible warfare: They penetrated the very innermost parts of your homes; and it was a promise (completely) fulfilled." [Surat Al Isra 17:5]

One should note that this prophecy is also found in the Jewish Bible. The corruption of the Israelites began following the death of King Suleiman AS in approx 935 BC. The Children of Israel began to decay spiritually and corruption became widespread. Whenever the scale of corruption increased so did the intensity of the enemies sent by Allah. There were constant conflicts and skirmishes until the Northern kingdom was destroyed by the Assyrians completely in the year 722 BC. Following the invasion, most of the Jewish tribes were either killed or taken as slaves. The skirmishes and attacks continued against the Southern Kingdom until it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. This marked the end of the last independent kingdom of the Israelites. The Israelites never regained power over the holy land until 1948 with the formation of the zionist jewish state. This is why we find many contemporary scholars maintain that the second of the promises refers specifically to the destruction of the state of Israel.

In describing these attacking armies, the Quran uses the term that is not found anywhere in the Quran

عِبَادًا لَّنَا
Servants of Ours [Surat Al Isra 17:5]

The term that is usually used in the Quran is عِبَادَنَا Our servants 

What is the grammatical significance of this usage

If I said for example

ابني عَاقِلٌ

My son is intelligent. Here the emphasis is on my son since there is ascription ( Idhafa) of him being my son. There is also a sense of pride on the part of the one saying this.

but if I said

ابنٌ لي عَاقِلٌ

A son of mine is intelligent. In this example the son is not defined therefore there is emphasis on intelligence with no mention of which of my sons it is.

So the term used in the ayah is indefinite and does not define a specific group or army. Also unlike the later term, there is no honoring but rather there is emphasis on the quality that is associated with the servants i.e.

أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ

those of great military might.[Surat Al Isra 17:5]

Why then is not the word for Army ( جُنُود or جَيش ) used to describe them?

Because there is also another rhetorical aspect to this. Using this title (عِبَادًا servants) which is reserved for believers and using it for an invading army who were not believers shows:

1. How far the Israelites had strayed from Allah Most high and to add insult to injury, their enemies are described with a title that they should have been called.

2.The invading armies were, by the permission of Allah SWT, used as a divine punishment for a people who had turned away from Allah SWT!

This promise was fulfilled prior to the revelation of the Quran being sent as stated in the ayah

وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولًا  
and it was a promise (completely) fulfilled [Surat Al Isra 17:5]
 
To be continued

By Nabeel Alkhalidy

​
​by Nabeel Alkhalidy